Surname BAIN

Meaning & History

Nickname for a hospitable person from northern Middle English beyn, bayn meaning "welcoming", "friendly".-------------------------------------The Scottish surname is derived from the nickname for a person with fair hair. The gaelic being bàn, meaning 'white' or 'fair'. The French, and possibly English, origin derives from the Old French word 'baine', meaning bath, and was given to people who lived near a Roman Bath. Another origin of the English surname, particularly Bains from Northern England, could derive from the nickname 'bone', possibly referring to a person who was particularly tall or lean.